…. “Start with the little you have” – Kazadi’s golden advice for young Namibian women
By Feni Hiveluah
True entrepreneurs do not just build a business, they build solutions. When Magreth Kazadi launched Dele Season Trading cc in 2017, she was simply looking to turn her creative passion for event decor into a purposeful side hustle. Today, she has transformed that dream into a multi-sector powerhouse spanning decor, corporate cleaning, and security services.
In this week’s Confident Women column, Kazadi shares how she mastered the art of delegation across vastly different industries, steered her young company through the crippling waves of the pandemic, and why her eyes are now set on conquering the Namibian tourism sector.
Q: You launched Dele Season Trading CC back in 2017. What was the initial spark or personal motivation that drove you to take that first step into business?
“I started with event decor and the spark that drove me to launch Dele Season Trading cc in 2017 was the desire to turn a creative passion into a purposeful business. Working an 8-to-5 job gave me stability but event decor gave me fulfillment. I began self-funding the business directly from my salary and used family events such as parties and funerals to showcase my capabilities and build a portfolio. My ultimate motivation was to bridge the gap between financial security and creative passion, proving that I can successfully nurture a dream on the side until it’s ready to fly.”
Q: Your company spans event decor, cleaning, and security services. What made you decide to venture into three completely different industries instead of sticking to just one?
“It really came down to recognising a massive need and responding to market demand. While doing event decor, I frequently encountered venues that were not properly cleaned before a setup or lacked security to safeguard our equipment after the setup was done. I realised Dele Season Trading cc could provide a seamless, all-in- one solution. Expanding was not about chasing different industries, it was about offering a total piece of mind and ensuring excellence from start to finish.”
Q: The early years of entrepreneurship are notoriously tough. What was the biggest obstacle you faced when starting out, and how did you overcome it?
“Indeed, it was not easy, our biggest obstacle starting out was transport and inventory expansion because every client comes with their own unique taste and style, we constantly needed new, diverse decor items, which required significant capital. Transporting rented items or bulky setups safely without a fleet was another major hurdle. Like the saying goes “every problem has a solution”, We overcome that by being highly resourceful and collaborating rather than trying to do it all alone. For transport-managed by hiring local pick-up bakkies or mini trucks. As for inventory expansion, I made friends with other entrepreneurs in the same trade, that way rent from them instead of direct purchases from suppliers.”
Q: Security and cleaning services rely heavily on client trust. How did you go about building credibility and securing your very first contracts?
“I must admit, I started very small, using our existing event decor projects as a foot in the door. Since we were already decorating the venues, we began cleaning them as part of our services to ensure our setup looks flawless, and with word of mouth, referrals spread quickly, which is exactly how we stumbled into our first corporate contract. To be honest as the founder at the time, I had no clue what a formal contract. I was operating purely on trust, passion and delivering a great service. We build our credibility simply by over-delivering on our promises, proving that trust isn’t just built on paperwork-it’s built on the quality of one’s work and integrity of one’s words.”
Q: Managing employees across decor, sanitation, and security requires different mindsets. How has your personal leadership style evolved to handle such a diverse workforce?
“Managing decor, cleaning and security definitely requires shifting between creative operations and a disciplined mindset. Over time, my leadership style has evolved from micromanaging tasks to focusing entirely on clear delegation. Today my top priority is ensuring that every employee fully comprehends exactly what is expected of them. By setting absolute role clarity and adapting my communication to each team, I ensure everyone knows exactly what success looks like.”
Q: Having started in 2017, you had to steer a relatively young business through the global pandemic, which heavily hit events. How did you pivot Dele Season to survive that period?
“The pandemic hit Dele Season Trading cc severely and because our cash flow could no longer carry the operational load, i was forced to make the painful decision to retrench some of our workers, with security and cleaning services still new back than and i had to come to a total stand-still. With gatherings completely shut down, our event services stopped entirely. We managed to survive solely by pivoting to renting out decorative items which alone was not enough later had to do catering and selling braai bread which than sustained the business during the difficulty time.”
Q: As the founder, how do you personally divide your time and energy so that none of your business pillars—decor, cleaning, or security—suffer?
“I rely on structured monthly meetings and strategic communication channels to keep taps on all pillars. These scheduled touch points provide a clear overview to decor, cleaning and security services, allowing me to step in and give my full attention to any sector the moment it needs support.”
Q: You have mentioned that you are still aiming to expand. What is the next major industry or market you want Dele Season Trading to break into?
“We are aiming high not for self- gain, but to contribute positively to the economy of the country, create youth employment, and inspire fellow young women. Our next major set is breaking into the tourism sector. To achieve that expansion we hope to secure funding and support through the Development Bank of Namibia or NYDF.”
Q: Your journey shows that a single company can succeed in multiple lanes. What is your golden piece of advice for young Namibian women who want to start their own business?
“My golden advice to young Namibian women is simple, start with the little you have and be the difference you want to see. Do not wait for perfect conditions or massive funding to begin. Trust your vision, stay resilient across different industries and use your unique perspective to create the change our economy needs now.”
